Blondie's Boys
by Kody Wright
Summary: Sam has leaped into the life of a B-17 bomber engineer in WW2, who must now save the life of the navigator and keep HER secret to ensure the bomber's success rate. Rated Teen for swear words and war theme. Please go to fiction press for original work.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Sam Beckett had spent years leaping from life to life, putting right what once went wrong, hoping the each leap would be his next leap home. After years of finding himself in the most unpredictable situations upon each new leap, Sam was relived to find himself laying in bed. He gave out a sigh, resting on the cot, relived he could sleep for a while.

Reveille never sounded so harsh as it did just then. He knew the sound, the feel of the wool blanket. The lights went on and Sam found himself in the middle of a military barrack filled with men. He just wanted to turn back over and go back to sleep, knowing he just leaped into the military.

A tall blond haired man in the cot next to him looked over at the lifeless lump. He spoke with a slow southern drawl.

"You getting up, Ambrose?"

Sam sat up in the cot and looked about the area. The men seemed to be dressed prior to the Vietnam era. Korea came to mind but the barracks were so full he couldn't justify the amount of men.

Another man spoke to him, his captain, a tall man with dark hair and blue eyes.

"You okay, Ambrose? Don't need a sick engineer today."

Sam gapped, "Engineer?" He looked upon the patch on the man's sleeve. A blue circle with wings and an eight in the center. "I'm an engineer?" asked Sam.

"Ambrose," the captain stated, "we got a mission today. I need you up there. You okay? You seem a little out of it."

Sam regained his composer, "I'm fine, Cap."

The co-pilot finished buttoning his shirt, "Come on, Cap. Let's go get the bad news from Jackson."

The captain nodded, "Be right there, Frank. Ambrose, I'll see you at breakfast."

"Right," nodded Sam as he looked for Ambrose's clothing. He started to get dress, lagging behind the rest of the men who were forcing themselves awake in the early morning hour.

As the men cleared out of the barracks, Sam lingered, trying to figure out where he was and what he was supposed to do. All he knew so far was his name, Ambrose Hockenberry and he was an engineer in the eighth Army Air Force, a time that was before his own birth. He wondered just how come he went so far back in time.

Much to his relief, Al walked through the door after the men left. Sam looked at him, as Al puffed a cigar and looked rather frazzled himself.

"Al, what am I doing here?" asked Sam.

Al held the communicator with Ziggy in his palm, "You just leaped into the middle of World War Two, Sam. You're at Bassingbourn Air Base. Your name is Ambrose Hockenberry, your are a sergeant and a flight engineer on a B-17, _Blondie's Boys_. This bomber has a huge success rate due to the navigator and the engineer."

Sam scoffed, "World War Two? How did leap that far back?"

"Ziggy is working on an answer, Sam. We don't know yet. She thinks you are here to help save the life of the Navigator. You save the navigator and you save the plane."

"But you just said they were highly successful," countered Sam. "If they were highly successful, what they need me for?"

"Ziggy is working on it," Al replied. "It's the navigator that is the key. This navigator needs to stay on the plane and you have to make sure she does."

Sam gave a cockeyed look, "She? Did you say 'she,' Al?"

Al nodded, still getting information from the hand unit, "The navigator's name is Jackie Jackson. She is a semi-famous aviatrix who made her mark air racing. She develops racing planes, builds and races them. She has snuck into the Air Force."

Sam blinked, "She snuck into the air force? The navigator? Build's and races air planes?"

Al nodded as he read off the accomplishments, "Sam, this girl is as smart as you. She has a photographic memory and can navigate cross country without a map. She was racing a bi-plane with her father before the war during the golden age of air racing." The old admiral's eyes lit up as he continued to read the aviatrix accomplishments, "Before sneaking into the US Air Force, she was flying in a Hurricane for the RAF dogfighting. They are the ones who are behind this. The navigator and the flight engineer are credited for the high success rate of the bomber. Now, according to Ziggy, you need to make sure she doesn't get caught and doesn't get killed. The records are not very clear and Ziggy is having trouble figuring out just what happened to the navigator."

"How long will I be here?" Sam wondered.

Al shrugged, "Ziggy doesn't know. But Ziggy says this navigator important."

**Mess Hall**

Sam sat with the crew and at his eggs, bacon and toast. The breakfast was rather good for army food. He didn't think much of it, figured it was just local farmers supplying the camp. He didn't know that fresh eggs were reserved for crews going up into battle, nor did Sam have real idea of the miserable failure rate the B-17's faced during the start of the war.

The tailgunner, Owen Ridder, sat across from him. It was the same blond hair man with the southern accent. The tailgunner complained.

"Damn, Ambrose, they only feed us good when they are sending us up on missions."

Sam gave a nod, "Yeah, they do."

The captain, Daniel Garrett and his co-pilot, Lt. Frank Mooney had taken their seats at the table along with the very person Sam was just brief about. She was short, only five foot two inches tall, a petit woman with light brown hair and big brown eyes. Dressed in men's clothing she passed herself off as a teenage boy barely old enough to shave. Ironically, she was also a lieutenant and thus the youngest officer.

Jackie had just given the pilots the bomb run and sat down to eat her own breakfast. She looked at Sam, her nose wrinkled as try to figure it out.

"Where's Ambrose? He sick?"

Sam's mouth dropped. She just asked where Ambrose was meaning she must be able to see him.

Frank huffed, "He's right in front of you, Jackson. Man, what the hell is it this morning? First your long lost baby brother is acting funny and now you."

"Um?" she looked at Sam. "That's not Ambrose."

Sam tried to cover meekly, "Yeah, I'm someone else today. Jackson and I are having a bad day. Just joking guys."

"Jackson?" asked Frank. "Shit, I thought you two were joined at the hip."

Jackie asked, "What are guys talking about?"

"Um," Sam replied, looking for Al. He was nowhere to be found. With no way of debasing the situation Sam did all he could do. Tell the truth. "My name is Sam Beckett and I am from the future. I have come to help you, Jackie."

As Jackie looked on in complete shock Frank and the boys started to laugh figuring that Ambrose and Jackie just played some bizarre joke on them.

Frank help up his coffee cup, "Good one, Ambrose. You two trying out for the USO tour?"

Sam decided it was best to ignore Frank and speak directly to Jackie. He took a piece of string from his pocket and held it before her.

"Time is generally thought to be linear but if you connect the ends of time you make a loop. Then you can touch any moment in time together like so."

Frank snickered, "Ambrose, stick to keeping the plane in the air, makes more sense."

She nodded comprehending the meaning behind the time loop. She didn't know what she just stumbled across but figured no one else could see this strange man wearing Ambrose's clothing.

"I get it," she told him. "We really should discuss quantum theory more often…Ambrose."

Sam gave a smile, "Would love too, Jackie."

**Air Field**

The sun rose over the field where the heavy bombers were staging. Men and equipment being stashed into the planes for the six hour flight. Luckily it was an easier flight path and not into Germany but rather in Austria going after munitions factories. Still, there would be heavy resistance.

Sam had pulled Jackie aside, he didn't know anything about being a flight engineer nor about keeping a heavy bomber in the air. He would need her's and Al's help just to do the job.

Sam began, "I have never been a flight engineer before. I was a pilot once, but…Um, I needed help landing the plane."

She looked at him, "You were a pilot…Once? Just where is Ambrose and why are you wearing his clothes?"

Sam explained, "I am in Ambrose's place, his aura. Everyone else see's Ambrose but for some reason you can see me. He's safe in the waiting room."

"Waiting room?" she asked.

Sam explained, "I was part of an experiment, I leap from life to life. The person I leap into goes back to my time and waits in a waiting room in the facility. He's fed and taken care of. He just can't leave till we switch back."

"And why haven't you switched back?" she wondered.

"I won't leap again till I have accomplished some task."

"Which is?" she wondered.

Sam winced, "I don't really what it is yet."

She gave a nod, "Really thought that one out, huh?"

"I was pressured to prove my theory or lose my funding. I'm Dr. Sam Beckett. The Quantum Leap project went wrong and I'm stuck doing this. Trying to get back home."

She looked at him, "You mean, you are stuck going from life to life trying to what? Leap back?"

He nodded, "That's it."

She sucked in a breath, "I help you do whatever it is you are supposed to do and I get my engineer back. I kind of need him…A lot."

"Yes," assured Sam.

"Okay, what do you need me to do?" she asked waiting for a reply.

"Um, right now. Live and don't get kicked off the plane."

"That's what I've been doing, Sam."

"Ambrose," he told her, 'you need to call me 'Ambrose.'"

"Sorry, Ambrose." She sucked in a deep breath. "Okay, Sam…I mean Ambrose…I'll give you a crash course in your job. If you get stuck, just ask me. Ambrose and I bounce engineering idea off each other all the time, Dr. Beckett." She laughed to herself, "Gee, never met a real life scientist before."

Sam gave her a look, "You're a famous aviatrix who traveled the world air racing in the thirties."

"And I never met a scientist," she proclaimed. "I feel so special, you know I was never allowed in school."

He asked, "Why not? You're very intelligent woman."

"I'm not a guy, women get married and have kids. Sending me to the school for the gifted kids would have been a waste of time and money, so the principle said. I was too advanced for regular school. My father taught me everything he knows…Which wasn't much."

Sam couldn't believe his ears, "Women become doctors and scientist."

"Not in nineteen twenty-five," she reminded him. "Come on, I'll give you a crash course."

After Sam had finished going over his job with Jackie, Al finally came back. Sam was suited up like an Eskimo: bomber hat, thick jacket and pants and more gear to don in the flight. He looked at Al from the station the flight engineer had right behind the cockpit. Sam kept his voice low so the pilot's wouldn't hear.

"Jackie can see me," he told him. "I had to tell her about the project."

Al nodded, "Ziggy already knows she can see you. Sam, you and Jackie share the same brainwaves. You're minds are equal. That's why she can see you. And Ambrose, he's very close to you too. His mind is equal to yours Sam. They both are. That's why this bomber did so well. Between Jackie and Ambrose, it was like having two Sam Becketts on board. Both are engineers but Jackie can also fly the bomber. Ambrose can't. Ziggy thinks that's why you leaped into Ambrose instead of Jackie. Or else you would have leaped right into her."

He whispered, "I though you said I was here to save her?"

"You are," replied Al. "And there is a chance that you could leap home after this."

"With every leap there is a chance," replied Sam.

Al shook his head, "Not like this, Sam. Ambrose and Jackie are equal in mental ability to you. We have Ambrose in the facility and you have Jackie here. Ziggy thinks if we can get them working together they might be able to find a way to bring you home."

"But Ambrose is seventy years into the future, Al," Sam rebutted.

"He's working with Ziggy as we speak, Sam. The kid is only nineteen, hasn't even gone to college yet and is a genius. He's a nineteen year old version of you, Sam."

"Okay," Sam gathered, "I have two equals here. Jackie and Ambrose and both have brainwaves similar to mine as well as cognitive ability."

Al gleamed, he hadn't been this excited in years, "Yes, It's like two versions of you Sam. One in our time and the other here with you. Now, Ambrose didn't know Jackie is a woman. No one is supposed to know, so you have to help her keep the secret."

He blinked, "They don't know? I thought they knew and were helping her cause she's so smart. She already figured out the chances for mission. She's a number's wiz."

Al shook his head, "They don't know, Sam and you need to keep her on this plane. The plane needs you and her both. So don't call her, 'her' or 'she' or anything that could give it away."

"Got it," replied Sam. It was bad enough he was about to go on a bombing mission but worse, now he had watch his vocabulary.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**In Flight, 3 hours**

The were nearing their targets and heavy flak erupted around them sending shrapnel and debris into the air. The flak was think, balls of black smoke filled the horizon.

_Blondie's Boys _was in the center of the formation. They were lucky to not be on the outside where the planes could be picked off by the single engine fighters. But still, flying a bombing run was like shooting fish in a barrel, just the bombers were the fish in that barrel. The bombers couldn't rise above the flak nor go beneath or it would throw off the bomb sights. Thus, they had fly straight through while the world erupted around them.

Of all things Sam has seen, including fighting in Vietnam, he was not prepared for the utter chaos that would soon surround him. First there was the flak, unable to avoid and unable to fight back. All one could do was weather a storm of death and destruction and pray the flak burst did not hit the plane.

Sam couldn't believe his eyes as he watched holes appear in the wings of the B-17 bomber as it endured the flak. Giant holes, one could stick an arm through. Not only to the wings but all around the fuselage as well.

Right up through the floor a flak blast ripped the bomber. Sending the men to their feet while Captain Daniel Garrett struggled to keep control of the plane.

Over all, Sam liked Captain Garrett. He was a high school history teacher before the war. Just a teacher, not a professional pilot or someone who dreamed of war and battle. His goal was return home after his twenty-five missions were up.

The co-pilot, Lt. Frank Mooney was a pilot before the war as well. A tow pilot who towed targets for practice for the ground artillery. Frank dreamed of being a fighter pilot, but somehow ended up on a bomber instead of a P-47 Thunderbolt.

The bombardier was of Japanese decent and spoke with a heavy New York accent. Lt. Ringo Soto of New York City, college grade in economics before the war.

The other officer of the ten man crew was the navigator, Lt. Jackie Jackson from Texas. She didn't have the southern accent for she moved around much as a child being a military brat. She grew up in the military…Literally. Sam was amazed by her story, of how her whole life was nothing but boot camp, aviation courses and flying. She devoured books and loved all subjects, one thing Captain Daniel Garrett found intriguing as well. Sam, like Daniel, wanted Jackie to attend college after the war and have some official schooling in her life.

The six other men were all enlisted: Flight Engineer, Sergeant Ambrose Hockenberry, Right Waist Gunner, Corporal Jimmy Hicks, Left Waist Gunner, Corporal Oscar Abbott, Tail Gunner, Sergeant Owen Ridder, Ball Turret Gunner, Corporal Gideon Ameele, Radio Operator, Sergeant Norman LaGrande.

There Sam was, running ragged around a B-17 as its flight engineer. Gathering data for the pilots, making on-the-fly repairs and trying very hard to figure out exactly what he was there to do.

As the flak hit the belly of the plane, the crew was tossed about. It was now up to Sam to make any repairs that were required. He found a leaking hose, red oily fluid leaked about inside the plane. He had no idea exactly what the fluid was for. After he smelled it to determined it was brake fluid.

"Break fluid," he told himself. "How the hell do I fix this?"

Al had stepped through the door to find himself in the middle of a war zone. It brought him back to his days as a fighter pilot during Vietnam. He spotted Sam looking at the hose.

"Sam?"

"It break fluid," he shouted back, "I need to fix it."

"The hose ruptured," Al informed. "Careful, Sam. It's forty below at this height. You can freeze your fingers off."

Sam gave a nod and started to make the repair to the best he could. They were hit with another round of flak. He was thrown forward on his side.

A voice came over the internal radio, "I'm hit."

Captain Daniel Garrett called out, "Someone check on Norm."

Al gave him orders, "Sam, clamp off the hose, you can fix it later. Get to the radio operator and check on him."

Sam nodded and quickly followed the order. He reached the radio operator station. The young auburn haired man was sunk over his desk, holding his right side.

"I'm hit," he hollered to Sam.

Sam went to apply first aid, checking the wounded man. Shrapnel was stuck in his right side of his abdomen. Sam grabbed the first aid kit, Norm tried to pull the piece out when Sam stopped him.

"Don't remove it, you'll bleed if you do." He calmed the man down, "Sit down, I need to bandage you. You'll be alright. I just to stabilize it for now."

Norm was barley old enough to drink. His cried before him, tears running down from the fear and the burning sensation of the shrapnel.

"I'm gonna die, Ambrose," he claimed.

Sam shook his head, "No, you're not. I'm not here so you can die." He started to bandage the man. Found a tube of morphine gel and applied the recommended dosage.

Al then mentioned, "Better tell the captain how bad it is."

"Right," Sam agreed and started to make his way to the cockpit. Sticking his head into the area he looked outside before the bombers. It was a sight to behold. Flak everywhere, thick, hanging in the air.

Sam gave his report, "Norm has a piece shrapnel embedded in the upper right quad. I stabilized the wound and gave him some morphine. He needs surgery. The brake line is ruptured and I have it clamped off for now. Were taking a lot of damage to the fuselage."

Daniel nodded, "Okay, Ambrose. Keep me informed on Norm."

Frank asked, "What the hell Ambrose, you studying medicine in your spare time?"

Sam just grinned, "Could say that." For Sam already had a medical degree along many others.

Daniel couldn't argue with it, "Hey, we can use it. Good work, Ambrose. Get in a jam, have Jackie help, he as an airplane designer."

"Will do," agreed Sam. He went back to his work as the flak started to clear. He took a deep breath, "Thank god that finally stopped."

Al huffed, "Sam get your gun…Now."

"What?" he asked.

Al explained, "Flak only stops when the fighters are coming. You're about to be attacked by German fighters."

Sam gulped and then went to man to top turret of the bomber.

He stepped onto the platform that raised him to the top turret. Sam turned the gun three hundred and sixty degrees scanning the horizon. He spotted three small specks coming towards the nose of the plane. Positioning the gun he waited for the planes to be in range.

Gunfire streaked across the sky as the small fighters engaged the large heavy bombers. It was a sight to behold, small bolts of lightening driving through the skin of the bombers. From Sam's position he could see holes emerge in the skin of the bomber near the nose area and a line of holes going for the cockpit.

Sam was the pilot's only protection. He opened fire and totally missed the target. His headphones came to life with chatter of the crew spotting the oncoming planes. It was hard to follow as the men sounded off the positions, opening fire and taking heavy fire in return.

The tailgunner had the best shot of the bunch. He was steely at the trigger and always calm, unlike the voices of the men who were engaged in a massive firefight.

Jackie was probably the second best shot after Own, due to her RAF fighting days. She had learned quickly how to shoot at a moving target while under fire. It was Sam who was worst shot on the entire crew. He felt miserable for he missed every time.

Perhaps is subconscious, for Sam was not the killing type. But neither were most of men on the plane, many still just boys who just wanted to go home.

After the bombs were dropped and they were finally clear of danger the bombers started to limp back to base. Out of the fleet that went up only about half the bombers returned to base leaving the survival rate at only fifty percent.

As Sam worked to make basic in-flight repairs Jackie went to help him. They worked on the brake hose in the floor of the fuselage. It was difficult to work on standing ankle deep in spent bullet casings.

"Well, that was run number six." Jackie mentioned, "On borrowed time now."

Sam asked, "What you mean?"

She shrugged, "Average life of a bomber is only six missions, Sam. We're on borrowed time. Twenty-five missions never seemed so far off, huh?"

Sam thought back, "I thought the bombers did fifty in World War Two."

"Fifty?" asked Jackie. She let out a sigh, "Shit, long haul, their gonna increase it. German's aren't breaking like they thought they would."

Sam wondered, "How would you know that?"

She replied, "I grew in the Army Air Corps, Sam. My father is a general…Don't tell the boys, I don't want them to know who I am. I know how the brass works. They just double everything. Twenty-five would double to fifty missions. Hope we can get the hell out before they do."

"Hope so too," he told her.

Al returned to the scene, the bright light caught her eyes as well as the colorfully dressed admiral. Jackie's hand went up to her forehead to check for the temperature thinking she was sick.

"Sam, got more information on Jackie."

She laughed, "Which is?" She then went to feel for her pulse, "Am I dead?"

Al looked at her then realized she could see him as well, "Oh, no…You can see me too. Your brainwaves are the same as Sam's. You can see what he sees."

"A colorful angel?" she wondered.

Sam snickered, "Al's no angel. He's my contact with my own time. We can see and hear him but not touch him."

"Why not?" she wounded. She then motioned towards his leg, seeing if he was real. Her hand went right through him.

"Cause he's a hologram," replied Sam.

"Okay," she brought her hand back to her chest. "That's weird."

"Get used to him after a while." Sam then looked at Al, "Which is?"

Al puffed on his cigar, "Jackie makes nearly forty missions on the bomber."

"They do increase it," she stated. "Is my ticket gonna get punched?"

He took a breath, "That's what we are having trouble figuring out. You are listed as Killed In Action but there is a record of you after the war is over."

"Oh Gawd," her hands went up to her face.

Sam tried to help her, "I'm not letting you die, Jackie. I'm here to stop that."

She shook her head, "No, Sam…My father. If I'm listed killed in action and then I'm still around after the war that means he's gonna kill me after he finds me."

Sam asked, "Your father?"

"He's a general, Fred Jackson."

"Al, what you got on her father?"

He tapped the side of the hand held unit, "Not much, after the war he retires."

"Retires?" Jackie made a face, "The military is all he knows. It's his whole life. What does he do?"

Al replied, "Opened a flight school."

"With what? Does he rob a bank too?"

"It get's a little dicey here, Ziggy thinks there blackmailing going on."

"Ziggy?" asked Jackie.

"Ziggy is a computer that runs the program. She's a bit unpredictable."

Jackie finished fixing the break hose, "Oh, lovely. Another man naming his machines after a woman. Was the real Ziggy a prostitute too?"

"No," replied Sam. "Ziggy is the code for computer program. Is Blondie…A…You know?"

She asked, "Couldn't you tell by the naked woman on the side?"

Sam confessed, "I didn't really have time to look."

"Frank's handiwork," she replied.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sam laid down on the cot after a day of absolute hell. Norm, the radio operator, was recovering from surgery rather well. The wound was minor over all but could been devastating if the shrapnel had been pulled out before hand.

He puffed his cheeks and let out a deep breath as he tried to sleep. He was exhausted, mentally and physically. Never could he have dreamed that being on a famous bomber could take so much spirit from a man.

As Sam closed his eyes, he pretended to be asleep, though too tired to actually sleep. Daniel and Frank walked into the barrack after having a bite to eat.

"There is something not right about, Jackson," stated Frank.

"Leave him alone," Daniel replied. "He's a damn good navigator and if we need another pilot, we got one. Not many crews have that luxury."

Sam's eyes remained closed as he listened to the conversation.

"I'm telling ya, something is not on the up and up. Why would the RAF turn lose a perfectly good fighter pilot? Hell, you saw his record, we all did. It makes no sense."

"Like he said, he's too short for to be a pilot," defended Daniel.

Frank rolled his eyes, "I don't know why his height would be an issue after serving a year and half in the RAF flying Hurricanes."

Daniel shrugged, "Apparently it is…And no, we are not sticking him in the ball turret."

Frank muttered, "He could fit, with a parachute. Hell, he could navigate from down there too."

"Not gonna happen," replied Daniel. "You know, you should be grateful for Jackson. He's introduced you to your girlfriend after all."

"Leave Bambi out of this," replied Frank. He paused a minute, "I think he's queer. He's gotta be queer. He has two of hottest skirts in London sharing an apartment with him and he's got his own room."

Daniel defended, "He's not queer. He got the room when he was ferrying for the ATA. He's a nice guy helping them pay rent. And it nice place to crash after pub missions."

Frank laid down on his cot and held a wallet size picture of his girlfriend. A blonde haired beauty who worked ferrying planes for the British.

"I think he's queer," stated Frank. "How could you not want to sleep with her?"

Daniel just ignored the question. He laid down on his own cot and started to read a letter her father sent him from home.

Sam asked, "You saw Jackie's file?"

Frank gave a funny look, "He showed it to us in the back of the troop truck that first day. You forget that too?"

"Just slipped my mind," he replied. "Where does he keep it?"

"Foot locker," Frank told him. "You know that." He paused in thought, "Ambrose, you're the closest to Jackson. You think he could be a homosexual?"

Sam chuckled, "No, I honestly don't."

"Come on, Ambrose. You seen the way he acts around, Cap. The way he looks at him."

The affection Jackie had for Daniel Garrett was obvious to any man but Sam could not disclose the secret. He simply shrugged it off.

"I think Jackie admires him, that's all," stated Sam.

Daniel huffed, "Can you guys quit talking about my navigator behind his back?"

Frank reminded, "Lived with two hot skirts and never touched them? There is something wrong with that guy."

Sam stated, "I don't think it's any of our business as to Jackie's sexuality."

Frank huffed, "The man slept with your girlfriend that very first pub mission and never touched her. You slept in his bed. You have any idea what was that looks like?"

Sam asked, "I have a girlfriend?"

Daniel instructed, "Ambrose, you better get some rest. You're beginning to worry me."

**Later That Day**

Sam had found the RAF record that Jackie hid in her footlocker. The record outright indicated Jackie's gender as male. He figured she used this record to get into the Air Force but wondered what would have driven her to do so after seeing a year and a half of heavy fighting out of Biggin Hill.

He then found her notebook. Drawing of planes and aeronautics schematics that were superb for technology of the day. Jackie had a solid grasp on advanced physics and Sam wondered how well she would do with quantum physics. Her life was in that notebook and her life consisted of flying racing planes.

From early Gee Bee's to barn storming bi-wings, she had them all in her notebook. She was a regular Glen Curtiss or Orville Wright. Sam couldn't believe he was looking at the work of someone who never set foot in a school in her entire life. Her mental ability was astounding to him. He also discovered a few photographs from her as a teenager racing planes.

She stood by the bi-wing, grinning from ear to ear, wearing army surplus clothing. Hair cropped short, a few pimples graced her teenage face. She was dressed like a boy. He wondered if perhaps the idea came from her racing past.

Jackie walked into the barracks and found Sam with her stuff. She paused for a moment and then asked a simple question.

"Sam, why are looking through my stuff?"

He grinned at her, "I'm trying to find out how I'm supposed to help you. I figured I would look for clues in your record and notebook. I love the picture of you, standing by the plane, smiling.

She took a seat next to him, she couldn't be mad for she understood he was trying to help her. She looked at the photos.

"That's me at the Bendix. That's the _Fledgling_, my racing plane. It's a converted Kadet. Dad got it surplus…Like everything he buys me."

"You're mother?" asked Sam.

"Died of pneumonia when I was six. Dad raised me by himself. That's why I was literally in the military…So, he could watch me. How many ten year old can dig a foxhole?"

"Not many," he chuckled. "That's Amelia Earhart standing next to you in that shot."

She nodded, "She was one of my inspirations. You know, I was told couldn't do thing my entire life cause I was born female. She paved the way for me. I miss her."

Sam added, "I think women pilots paved the way for a lot of other women. Pilots like you, Jackie."

"Thank you, Sam. That's sweet. You really are a lot like Captain Garrett. You remind me of him…But way smarter. I figured by now he would have busted me for sure."

Sam decided not to go into the rumors the boys were spreading about her. Instead he focused on her drawings.

"You know, you have a uncanny grasp for physics. I wondering how much you know about quantum mechanics," Sam replied.

She shrugged, "Not much. My whole life has been racing and that's what I'm gonna do when the war is over. Go back to racing, save my money and get a good plane. I was thinking a Spitfire would do rather well."

"You could do so much more than that," he told her.

"You are beginning to sound like the Cap," she replied.

Sam chuckled, "He's a smart guy. You should listen to him. He cares about you."

"He cares about all the guys," she told him. "No one wants to see your buddy shot up."

"I think he cares about you a little more," he informed.

"I'm an intelligence asset. It's my big brain he's after."

"I think it's more than that," Sam insisted.

She shook her head, "I wish it was. I do adore him." She changed the subject, "I'm going to London to drop off some letters for my friends to send my father. You wanna come? Figured I could check out the library and study up on more physics and such."

"Sure," agreed Sam.

**London**

Jackie lead Sam to the flat she shared with her two friends. If it weren't for their help she never would have made it so far. The building wasn't much, a old brick structure where they shared a basement three bedroom flat. Standing outside the door with key in hand she looked at Sam.

"Ambrose just started dating Sadie, Sam. They just met the other night in a pub. Ambrose doesn't smoke or drink, so keep that in mind."

Sam replied, "I don't smoke or dink either."

She blinked and asked, "What are you? The world's largest boy scout?"

Sam's mind went back to Al referring to him as a boy scout often. He gave a look.

"You smoke and drink?" asked Sam.

"Occasionally, I do like wine and I smoke, been smoking since I was twelve."

Sam asked, "And that was okay with your father?"

She laughed, "Who do think started me smoking?" She unlocked the door and stepped inside.

Sam's eyebrow lifted in surprise.

The door opened to the basement living area. A red sofa sat in the center of the flat, a kitchenette to the side with a round table and some chairs. On the sofa sat a blonde haired beauty, Frank's girlfriend, Bambi wearing a blue pair of slacks and a white shirt.

She looked up from the paper she was reading, spotted Jackie and a man she assumed to be Ambrose. She smiled brightly at them.

"They let you off base?"

Jackie nodded, "Letters to mail to my dad, one a week for me."

"More packages came for ya," she told her. "Hi Ambrose. What you too up to today?"

Jackie replied, "We're going to the library to study quantum mechanics."

Bambi paused in thought, "Is that something plane related?"

Sam shrugged, "Similar…Kind of."

Bambi shook her head, "Whatever. Hey, if your dad sends more cigs; I could use a pack."

Jackie asked, "What happened to the last two packs I gave you?"

"That was two weeks ago, Jackie. I smoked them!"

Jackie rolled her eyes, "Just help yourself." She handed her a few letters to mail out. "Here, just like before. Take the postage out of the allowance my dad sends me."

Bambi's big blue eyes settled on Sam, "I take it Ambrose knows why we send dad letters like this?"

Sam nodded, "I know Jackie's a woman."

Bambi's eyes lit up, "Daniel know?"

She shook her head, "No, just Sam…Ambrose."

"Sam?"

He covered, "Nickname from the family. Jackie calls me it sometimes."

"Oh," she grinned, "wait till Sadie find out you have a nickname. So, going to Piccadilly Circus tonight on pub missions?"

Jackie shook her head, "Can't have a mission tomorrow morning. Just going to the library only got a day pass."

Bambi soured, 'Well, that's a bummer."

"What are complaining about?" asked Jackie. "I'm the one who has to get up at four-thirty in the morning, before everyone else, go to a briefing to find out what suicidal mission they are sending us on now and then tell my CO before I can even eat. Then all day, with nothing but hard candy to suck on and in a diaper, just to go drop bombs on a bunch a people that I don't even know."

"Hey, you're the one who signed up for this. I told you before to go back to the ATA to ferry. But no…You have to prove something."

Jackie huffed, "I joined because of what the RAF did to me. I was pissed and I'm not backing out now. I'm in too deep to leave this all on Sam…I mean Ambrose."

Bambi shook her head with a sigh, "Of course you won't. You're the most stubborn, pig headed, woman that I ever met."

Jack had to agree, "I get that from my father."

"You're father thinks you're a boy," she laughed. "How many fathers send their daughters survival kits, pocket knives, cigarettes and army issued soap?"

"You forgot the gun," added Jackie laughing.

"Only thing missing was condoms," laughed Bambi. "If he send you them, make sure you give them to Frank."

"Why?" she asked.

"You'll never use them," teased Bambi.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After spending an afternoon in the library going over what amounted to a crash course in quantum physics, Jackie and Sam had returned to base no further ahead than when they left. After dinner it was early to bed for tomorrow they would be woken up early for the next bomb run.

Hurry up and wait seemed to be the game. Up at four in the morning and in the air by seven. To spend another long day flying over enemy lines, dropping bombs and hoping to make it back alive.

The bomb run was most difficult, for the cockpit was hit in the middle of the fight. The co-pilot, Frank was knocked unconscious and Sam had to remove him from seat so the navigator could help the wounded captain bring the crippled plane back.

Captain Garrett couldn't move his leg, a large piece of shrapnel embedded below the knee. He requested that Jackie help him fly the plane back and navigate from the cockpit.

It worked, the plane made it back in one piece with a few wounded men onboard. He now understood why he was Ambrose, for if he leaped into Jackie they never would heave been able to navigate back. For all the math and science Dr. Beckett had learned, navigation via dead reckoning was not one of them.

Sam simply never would have made it as a navigator and he was barely making it as a flight engineer. It gave him a true appreciation for Al who had those skills from his days as a navy pilot.

Sam walked into the infirmary after dinner to check on the wounded. He noticed the beds were empty, not because of being highly successful but rather due to the utter failure and loss of planes. The men simply didn't come back.

He spotted Jackie sitting with Daniel, after she brought him his mail. He had read letter from home aloud, even though the painkillers were making him act a bit goofy.

Jackie patted his hand before leaving, wishing him a good night's sleep. Before Sam, Frank started on about the navigator the moment she walked out the door.

"You better distance yourself from him, Cap," warned Frank.

Daniel was still a bit loopy, "Why?"

"He just patted you on the hand," huffed Frank.

"He just brought me my mail, Frank," replied Daniel.

Frank huffed, "Let me spell this out for ya. You the teacher and your student has a crush on you. He keeps this up, he's gonna get hit."

Daniel warned, "Nobody lays a hand on that navigator. He's too important. He helped me fly the plane back today, Frank. I think you are over reacting."

Frank snorted, "The only way that guy cannot be queer is if he was a skirt."

"Drop it, Frank," warned Daniel.

Sam tried very hard not to laugh at the whole situation. Frank just nailed it, for Jackie was indeed a woman.

"How ya feeling, Cap?" asked Sam.

Daniel replied, "Bit high from the morphine."

Sam sat on the edge of his bed and started to act like a doctor. Taking his pulse and checking his breathing. He even looked over his charts, just like a doctor.

Frank asked, "What the hell you doing, Ambrose?"

Sam shrugged, "Just checking vitals."

Daniel mentioned, "He studying to be a doctor. I think Sadie and her wanting to go to medial school is getting to him."

Sam asked, "My girlfriend wants to go to medial school?"

Frank nodded, "Yeah, I can't believe she's dating you. She's pretty, smart, attractive and dating you. Baffles the mind, she's a dame who could have anyone. She is really cute."

Daniel giggled, "Watch it, Frank. You start using 'girly terms' like cute, you might think you're queer." He looked at Sam, "Frank thinks Jackie is a homosexual."

Sam shook his head, "I don't."

"He is too," huffed Frank. "He walks like a queer, talks like a queer. There is no way he's normal."

Sam grinned, "Define 'normal.'"

"You know what I mean," the co-pilot replied.

Daniel stated, "I don't care if he is. He's a good navigator and we need him."

Frank snorted, "He's got the hots for you, teach."

"I don't care," the captain replied.

Frank looked at Sam silently grinning to himself, "What so damn funny, Ambrose?"

Sam chuckled, "I find you amusing, Frank."

"That's 'Lieutenant' to you, kid."

Dr Beckett looked at Frank's chart next, "Ya know, Frank. You have a mild concussion, you should be quiet and still and not ranting and raving about Jackie. One might start to think you got the hots for him."

Daniel started to snicker hysterically.

Frank pinched his lips together, "Never say I have hots for him again, Ambrose. Or you won't have to worry about the German's shooting your ass…I will."

"Yes, sir," replied Sam.

**Moments Later**

As Sam walked out of the infirmary Al rejoined him in the imaging room, "Sam," called Al, "Ziggy found more records."

"What she find?" asked Sam.

"The bomber loses two crewmen, the navigator and the radio operator."

Sam asked, "I just saved Norm a few runs back. He still dies?"

"He's gonna be blown out of the plane, Sam. The navigator dies on the operating table after she flies the plane back."

Sam shook his head, "Didn't happen. Jackie flew the plane back today and did fine."

"She flies the plane back twice, Sam. Once to aid the Cap and the other time, by herself and wounded. The plane was decommissioned after that. The crew got a new plane, the _Jackie J_. They name it after her, Sam."

"She dies?" he asked.

"That's where it get's a little funny, Sam. According to the military records she was killed in action. But according to civilian records, Daniel Garrett marries a woman before leaving London, Jacqueline Jackson."

Sam replied, "That's her real name, Jackie is a nickname, she told me so. She marries Daniel. She's in love with him. Frank thinks Jackie is gay…And a guy." Sam assured himself, "She marries Daniel Garrett. She lives, so…Why am I here?"

"Ziggy still doesn't know," admitted Al.

Annoyed Sam replied, "When Ziggy figures it out, let me know."

Al shrugged, "These old world War Two records are kind of sketchy. It's hard figuring out what happened."

Sam replied, "I can tell you want happened. Jackie lands the bomber wounded. They operate on her and she lives. The military uses it as means to list her as killed in action to get her out when they figure it out. Any moron can see this, Al. They lose, Norm. I must be here to save him."

"Ziggy doesn't think you are," rebutted Al. "He's blown right out of the plane in mid-flight. You can't save him."

Frustrated Sam asked, "Than why am I here, Al?"

"I don't know," he replied, "maybe, maybe…You are here so Jackie and Ambrose can save…You, Sam."

"What?" asked Sam.

"Ziggy says you still have a very high chance at going home after this leap. But you need to stay here and make sure Jackie stays on that plane. She is still the key."

Al nixed the idea, "I spent all yesterday afternoon explaining time travel theory to her. She had trouble understanding it, Al. She's not gonna figure what went wrong…Nobody can."

"Sam, you're not being fair. You have decades to study quantum physics and she had one afternoon. Give her some time."

Sam sighed, "Time is all I've got, Al."

**Piccadilly Circus**

The crew of Blondie's Boys was given a much deserved three day pass into the city of London. Often dubbed a 'pub mission," the men took their free time seriously. For each pub mission might be the last. Death never seemed so real before, after years of leaping to save lives Sam found himself in a situation where he couldn't save anyone's life and he wasn't sure if he could save his own.

The propaganda of the war became quit clear for Sam. The media had war glorified in the papers. The images of a rough and tough solider, cigarette hanging from the lips, whiskers, sweat and dirt, dressed in a uniform and smiling about War Bonds came to mind.

For the real men and woman who fought the war were anything but that image sold by Uncle Sam. They were scared, scared to death of what the next day would bring. Afraid not only for their own life but the life of the man standing next to them. They were young, kids for the most part, who had very little training and then plopped down in the middle of a war.

The only fear worse than death was being maimed for life. Missing limbs, and emotional wounds no one could see. The crews were beat, dead tired and lonely. They just wanted to go back home, not stay in some foreign land and fight people they didn't even know.

So, with the weight of war wearing the men down, Piccadilly Cirrus and the pubs surrounding the square became the stomping ground for the young men who didn't wish to die virgins.

Sam walked in with Jackie. Leaping into Ambrose was the best accident Sam ever had during a leap, for Ambrose and Jackie were close and she could help him fill in as Ambrose.

Sam's eyes settled on Bambi and the petite red head standing next to her, he whispered to Jackie, "Is she Ambrose's girlfriend?"

"That's Sadie, yeah…She's his girlfriend," replied Jackie.

Frank came right behind them and went right to Bambi and laid big wet kiss on the blonde beauty. She kissed him back, thoroughly enjoying the moment.

Jackie rolled her eyes at the sight.

"Bambi is Frank's girlfriend?" asked Sam.

"Catch on quick, huh Dr. Beckett?"

He rolled his eyes at the remark, "Yeah, okay."

Sadie came up to him and wrapped her arms around him, giving his a peck on the cheek, "I missed you."

Sam replied, "Missed you too."

Bambi grinned at Frank, "Be a dear and get me a drink."

"Sure," Frank went off to the bar.

Sadie instructed Sam, "Ambrose could you get me a drink too. And get one for Jackie as well."

He asked her, "What would you two like?"

Jackie told him, "Sadie drinks red wine and you and I drink coke, remember…Ambrose."

"Got it," he replied and went to the bar.

Jackie was taken by her friends to the table. She sat and watched as Daniel started dancing with a woman and gave a depressing sigh.

"What?" asked Sadie.

Jackie replied, "Daniels knows, so does Ambrose."

"And? Has he told anyone?" asked Bambi for more information.

"No, he's hasn't told anyone. He only wants me for my big brain, I'm nothing than in intelligence asset to the man." She spotted Daniel dancing with another woman, "What am I Daniel? Chopped liver?"

Sadie wondered, "How's Ambrose taking it?"

"Sam's…um…Ambrose is great. If only Daniel could be more like him."

Bambi giggled, "I don't know Jackie. I think you are a combination of Frank and Ambrose."

Sadie snickered, "She's a little of both."

Bambi watched Daniel start dancing with the woman, she pondered the new information, "I don't know, Jackie, I think he likes you too. He keeps looking at ya as he's dancing. I think he's trying to make you jealous."

She shook her head feeling defeated, "No, just wants my brain, that's all. Just for intelligence."

Sadie shook her head, "I think he's trying to make you jealous too. I bet he likes you."

"No, he doesn't and half the men think I'm queer," stated Jackie.

"Huh?" asked Bambi.

Jackie explained, "Well, at first they thought I was sleeping with Sadie, then when I told them you two were like sisters to me, I guess they assumed that I was a homosexual. Frank keeps saying I'm a 'queer' and have a crush on my captain."

"Well," Sadie giggled, "he's half right."

"You are queer, just not a homosexual," Bambi huffed.

Jackie replied, "Very funny. He's keeping me cause I helped land the plane when the cockpit was hit. Frank was knocked out and Daniel's leg was injured."

Worried Sadie asked, "Was Ambrose injured? They didn't say anything."

"No, he helped me keep the plane in the air," Jackie replied.

Bambi instructed, "Don't let anything happen to them. You keep us informed if they get hurt. You're our inside man…So to speak."

Frank and Sam returned to the table with the drinks. Sam sat next to Sadie and grinned, trying very hard to act like Ambrose would. It turned out that not knowing how to act around a woman was exactly how Ambrose would act and he mimicked the engineer perfectly.

Frank sank in next Bambi, arm drape around her, basking the glow of the woman. He spotted Daniel dancing with the woman and made a comment.

"Caps got it going on tonight," he grinned, "that's dame number two."

Jackie looked at him and bluntly stated, "He's just wants to make me jealous?"

Sam tried to cover for her, "Why would the Cap be jealous of you, Jackie? You're sitting between two beautiful women."

Sadie grinned, "You're so sweet, Ambrose." She leaned closer and gave him another peck on the cheek.

For someone with a history of sneaking into places she shouldn't be, Jackie was horrible at keeping secrets. Feeling defeated she just spoke her mind.

"Frank thinks I'm a queer and Daniel is trying make me jealous," she told Sam.

Even more confused Sam asked, "You're a homosexual?"

Jackie shook her head, "No."

Frank leaned closer to her, "If you're not a queer than what the hell are you? A skirt or something?"

Jackie didn't reply but merely blinked. Perhaps she wanted to be exposed and finally get off the plane.

Thinking quick Bambi covered, "Frank, Ambrose…Jackie is part of a secret government program. Jackie has been sent to gather information on the Germans using bomber planes as aerial surveillance. Jackie is a spy for the OSS. Now, the OSS sent Jackie because…She…Has an unusual gift to remember and copy exactly everything she sees. She has a photographic memory and is gathering intel. No other agent could do this job and since they need Jackie on a plane, the OSS dressed her up as a boy and sent her on plane against her will. We are her contacts, do you understand this mission now?"

Knowing full well it was a pack of lies Sam couldn't help but ask, "Seriously?"

"Um," Jackie looked to Bambi.

"Yes," Bambi insisted. "Agent Jackson has broken a cardinal rule and we are trying to recover from it."

"Which rule is that?" Jackie asked.

"The agent has allowed herself to become emotionally involved with the people she is working with. That includes you two. And has exposed herself to Captain Garrett who is attempting to thwart the mission by making our agent uncomfortable. We need to keep our agent on the plane and I need you two to help us do it. This mission is so secret very few people know about it, but there is a contact in the RAF who can verify everything I said."

"Percy?" asked Jackie

"Yes, RAF Officer Percy Quill can very everything I just told you. Agent Jackson was originally working with the RAF prior to this mission," Stated Bambi.

Amused Sam asked, "Wouldn't the base CO know about this?"

She stomped the idea, "No, it's above his head. I'm asking you to not only due your duty with the AAF but also help the OSS keep our agent safe and on that plane. You think you can do it?"

Frank replied, "If Officer Quill verifies everything you just said, I will do that."

Jackie stood up from the booth, "Let me call Percy and see if we can meet."

"Excellent idea, Agent Jackson," Bambi kept the straightest look upon her face after the pack of lies she just unloaded.


End file.
